1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a unitizing frame for a pallet and more particularly to a unitizing frame for a four-way wood pallet such as that used for transporting cartons and case goods in the grocery industry.
2. Prior Art
In the highly mechanized grocery industry case goods are placed on standard wooden pallets by the distributor, transported by truck while on the pallet, and delivered to the retail grocer on the pallet. During the transportation, however, there is a tendency for the case goods to shift about on the pallet. At least the integrity of the pallet may be lost, and often the goods are damaged in transit. Upon the unloading of the truck, therefore, it is necessary at least to restack the case goods before the pallet can be removed from the truck. If goods are damaged, there is additional cost in time and replacement. In a recent study by the National American Wholesale Grocers Association, as to cases of merchandise damaged when delivered to the warehouse, while in and during delivery to the retail outlet, 42% were damaged between the warehouse and the customer outlet.
A necessity has therefore arisen for a unitizing frame for temporary attachment to each pallet for holding cartons and case goods in a unitized relationship during the transportation of the pallets.
Such unitizing frames are known in the industry. However, the unitizing frames of the prior art have several distinct disadvantages. There has been a tendency in the past to build into the frame the strength necessary for stacking the pallets and frames one on top of the other for use in warehousing. This has necessitated a much heavier frame than would be necessary for unitizing the case goods in transport only. When such frames are also used for warehousing it has often been necessary that part of the frame fold down so that access can be had to the cartons inside the frame.
The frames of the prior art have often had to be attached to the pallet, as by nailing, to secure stability. They have obstructed access to the four-way pallet, at least on the sides, by the pallet jacks or fork lift trucks, used in the warehouse, or in the loading and unloading of the pallets.
In filling orders for retail outlets, the pallet is moved endwise through the aisles of the warehouse and filled from the sides. The loaded pallets are then positioned in a truck for transportation, part of the pallets being parallel to the side walls of the truck and part parallel with the ends of the truck. It is necessary, therefore, that the pallet be accessible both from the ends, i.e. on the lateral dimension, and from the sides, by a pallet jack or fork lift truck for movement from the warehouse into a truck.
The grocery industry has agreed upon a standard 48 .times. 40 inches four-way wood pallet in which the ends are open and the side stringers have aligned cutaway areas for access by pallet jacks or fork lift trucks.
It is desirable that the unitizing frame be so constructed that it can be quickly assembled on the pallet and disassembled from the pallet by one person without undue strain and that the frame not interfere with the loading of the pallet from both sides. The frame should interlock on the pallet for stability, but should be easily disassembled and removed from the pallet, before the pallet is unloaded, for return to the warehouse with the truck.
The components of the disassembled pallet should stack flat for easy transport, and for requiring minimum space when the unitizing frames are being returned from the retail store to the distributor and when not in use at the warehouse of the distributor. Preferably, a group of disassembled frames should stack quickly into a frame assembled on a pallet for quick transport and storage.